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Reviews For: MFJ 90-Series

Category: QRP Radios (5 watts or less)

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Review Summary For : MFJ 90-Series
Reviews: 37MSRP: 189.95
Description:
Mono-band HF QRP CW Transceiver
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.mfjenterprises.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00373.6
WA0ZZG Rating: 2006-09-07
Consider it a project Radio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The MFJ 90 series radios are based on a good design, but not the best for a production radio. It can be made to be stable, sensitive, filter QRM, and produce a clean CW signal, but it also requires some component selection and tweaking. The factory does an inconsistant job of both. The alignment section, in the manual, is accurate, but is incomplete. There are service notes on the internet to help you complete alignment. Do not expect a factory aligned radio to function properly. That doesn't mean you don't have a good radio. It can produce one of the best CW notes you have ever heard. If you find an inexpensive source, and don't mind the bench time, it can be made into a good instrument. See you on 40M. WA0ZZG
G7IDJ Rating: 2006-01-13
Not the best - Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I bought the 9020 and wanted something not too expensive to leave in the car. The main problem is that it picks up any interference. RF immunity seems to be right down.
I know that the ignition in my 20 years old car is a a little bit noisy but using other rigs I can still use them providing the incoming signal is reasonably strong. With the 9020 no chance, all I hear is the sound of the ignition.

So I tried to use it at home. The problem: computer noise and other emc related things.

I think it may be ok to used in the field providing the engine is not running or you have got a reasonably clean ignition system and not too many sources of emi around.

I would not buy it again and I am thinking to trade it in now and give it up as a bad job. Pity the design concept is quite good. A nice simple no frills functional rig yet the inside doesn't meet demands or at least my demands.
If you consider buying it make sure you are going to use it in an emi free environment.
WA2JJH Rating: 2005-02-02
another MFJ pizza-sheet Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Went nuts on ebay. I got a bunch of MFJ STUFF.

build your own for $50! Then it is a good value!

a real pizza-sheet for young and old a like!
I would rather though it out, then let someone else think they got a rig.

I could buy an eico 753 ssb/cw rig for less!
KC0PWS Rating: 2004-08-04
Think twice about MFJ-9020 Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I purchased an MFJ-9020 about a year ago, despite warnings that it was overpriced. I was desperate for a rig, and didn't have money for much else. While I can't say that I regret buying it---it has provided me with some fun---I have gotten frustrated with the frequency drifting during OSOs. Also, my meter light went out about a month ago. Isn't that a little early considering I only use the rig for about an hour each day?
K6AER Rating: 2004-02-09
Not the greatest Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have bought and owned a 20 and 30 meter version of this radio. Frequency drifts quiet a bit and receiver performance is poor at best. From all indications the MFJ cub is a better design and you can get them in a kit or prewired.
The 90XX design needs some improvements.
N3HNA Rating: 2003-11-30
Very good CW rig... Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After many years of playing around with old rigs I finally picked up one of these MFJ 40 meter rigs to play with. I'm rather impressed. I've gotten out really well with very marginal antennas. I purchased the radio through eBay for around $150.00 including shipping and that was NIB - I think the current MSRP is around $190.00 before shipping. The biggest drawback that I can see is that it takes about 10 to 15 minutes to fully stabilize on frequency. If you try to QSO before full warm up then you are chasing yourself all over the place. I generally turn the radio on after dinner and let it idle until I get to play with it when the kids are asleep - 10:00pm-ish. As others have mentioned it seems a little pricey but it does a great job for what it is.
AA5TB Rating: 2003-10-01
MFJ-9020 Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've used my MFJ-9020 for many years. I can't remember when I bought it but it seems like over ten years ago. I have the keyer and narrow audio filter installed. I've literally worked the world with this rig. I've used it on several Field Days making between 300 and 400 contacts with it. It is a work horse.

The transmitter does drift about 500 Hz at the start of my first QSO but stabilizes after that. The thump that others have reported is associated with the adjustable voltage regulator. It is not a "low voltage drop-out" regulator and it supplies 10 V to most of the radio. If the supplied DC voltage isn't far enough above where the regulator is set then thumping will be present. I've found that by slightly adjusting the voltage regulator the thumping will completely disappear. Others have changed this regulator out for a low drop-out voltage type. I've also had problems with the volume control pot becoming scratchy. MFJ sent me a replacement for free but it was the wrong value and I didn't have the heart to complain about it.

I ran this rig at home using a solar charged battery for many years and a dipole and it is amazing what I have worked with it. All in all I think it is a good rig for the money.

Steve - AA5TB
AB7JK Rating: 2002-10-26
Did'nt work x 2 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought the 9020 about ten years ago. When I first purchased this rig the RX section did not work. Sent it back to MFJ. Three weeks later received different unit from MFJ - RX was ok - TX didn't work. Was told by MFJ that company was unable to find electronic techs in Mississippi. Had to use tech students from nearby community college. Got a refund.
MBOGO Rating: 2001-08-30
OK, but should be better Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have the MFJ 40-meter portable station which includes the transciever, antenna tuner, rechargeable power supply, and halfwave twinlead dipole. I've also added the narrow filter. This has been my only HF rig for the last 7 years.

What appealed to me was its minimalist philosophy. However, I would've loved to have an S-meter so it wasn't quite so minimal. Had I to make the choice over again today, I'd go for the Elecraft K1 or K2 (which is on my wish list).

Overall, it has performed well - mine is turned down to 4 watts from 5. The only faults seem to be in quality control: an area where MFJ seems to be erratic. When installing the narrow filter, I noticed one of the screw holes on the pc board was drilled off-center, making it impossible to secure it with both screws, so I just used one. More seriously, however, is that the VFO does drift. Mine drifts down about 3kHz in the first 15 minutes and then seems to stabilize. It still drifts somewhat, though, as even after a few hours, someone in a QSO will occasionally tell me that I've drifted. Additionally, the VFO calibration is such that the dial reads about 10kHz higher than where the VFO really is. I have to use my shortwave radio to confirm the exact frequency of a QSO I'm hearing.

Both the antenna tuner and the rechargeable battery pack (which allows you to operate from rechargeable batteries or from AC) have worked perfectly and are one of the nice things about
the portable station (be sure to get the carrying
handle, too). I've found the half wave twinlead dipole to be surprisingly effective, even when low to the ground.

It's a cute radio with a certain minimalist charm, but MFJ does need to improve their quality control.
NZ5L Rating: 2001-08-30
Useful, not wonderful. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The MFJ provides a complete 40 Mtr CW station in one durable box. It is reasonably stable (after 30 min. warmup) and the dial is fairly linear. The 4 watts is ample for most situations. The receiver is not sensitive compared to most full power rigs, and it could use more selectivity (mine has the narrow filter, but I wish it was a steeper skirt). Strangely enough, for a portable/field type rig, the audio output is somewhat underwhelming. The list price is a bit high, but at the typical used price ($110-$125) it is worth acquiring. One big plus is that it covers 150Khz, so useful for Novice Ops. (or to work same) as well as general QSOs and DX. As I said, it is quite useful. I plan to keep mine.